Don's back!
by nikinou
Summary: Don is back in town, back at McCann...with a big offer.


"Peggy, could you come to my office please."

It's Wednesday, December 9th. Don has been back since last Monday and it seems like he hasn't missed a beat. 'How nice it must be', Peggy thinks 'to take an unannounced hiatus (for over a month, to boot!) and then just breeze back in like nothing happened.'

Peggy walks into Don's office, Stan is sitting there. What is this all about?

"Close the door please, Peggy." Don directs her. "Sit down." Peggy and Stan look at each other, both wondering what is coming.

"Listen, we're all basically new here. There are different rules here. I don't know if the two of you know about McCann's position on dating in the workplace."

This irritates Stan. Quite a bit. "Dating? Are you kidding me now? We're not dating, we're getting married." He is thinking, 'Oh shit, one of us is going to have to go. And McCann won't cut Peggy loose, not if they're smart.'

"Now, Stan…" Don wants Stan to listen. "Look, before you get all worked up, understand, I'm on your side."

"Side?!" Now Peggy is annoyed. "What side? Are there opposite sides here?"

"Calm down Peggy." Don is amused by both of them, and their hairtrigger tempers. "You, know, I didn't see it at first, but you two ARE made for each other. Now, hear me out. I spoke with the partners. I told them - you two are a team, a creative team and you come as a package. The marriage is just a formality…a merger, if you will."

"And…" Stan starts to ask. "They bought that bullcrap?"

"Of course." Now Don has that self-satisfied look on his face that they've seen a million times.

"Now, I want to formally congratulate the two of you…" He opens the cabinet of the bar and removes an ice bucket with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne resting inside. Don unwraps the top of the bottle and loosens the wire cage surrounding the cork, then drapes a towel over the top of the bottle. Peggy and Stan are watching him closely, as though this is a tutorial. Don slowly turns the bottle while holding onto the cork...until they hear a little "pop" and then he eases the cork out slowly. Don tells them he has learned that this is the proper way to open champagne, not "popping" the cork and creating a mess.

"This guy really is the Master of Suave", Stan thinks to himself.

Don pours them both a glass of champagne, and pours himself a club soda. He pours just a splash of champagne into the club soda.

"Megan's mother taught me that it's bad luck to toast with water."

They enjoy the champagne, Don asks how they are both doing at McCann, have they decided whose apartment they have decided to live in. Pleasant conversation. Then Don asks, "Have you set a date, chosen a place for your reception?"

"Well, Joan heard about a last minute wedding cancellation at the Columbia Club on Valentine's Day" Peggy started to tell Don.

"Well, that's perfect." Don says.

Stan then says "I'll tell you, Don, the place is great, and we'd love to do it there, but even with the reduction in price, it's still no joke. I just sprang for that rock on Peggy's hand."

"Which brings me to this..." says Don to the two of them.

"I want you to know how honored I am to escort Peggy down the aisle on your big day." Don is at the bar pouring himself more club soda.

While his back is to them, Stan mouths to Peggy.."You asked him?"

She mouths back, sheepishly…"Yeah." She never told Stan about how she blurted that out. Stan shrugs…"Ok, that's cool" he mouths back to her.

Don continues, "And since this is such an honor, and since Peggy, and you also Stan, of course, are so special to me, as my gift to you both, I would like to host your reception."

Peggy doesn't think she understands. "What?"

Don inhales deeply. "Peggy, I know your dad passed a long time ago. Although you both are doing well, I would like to take the pressure off you both, financially, as you begin you lives together."

Stan is a little thunderstruck. This is a big gesture. A very big gesture.

"Don, that is too much, we can't accept, that's just too much." Peggy pleads.

"Peggy, listen. If you both accept, I would like to suggest that you include the McCann partners and some other influential people in the guest list." Don counters.

"I don't know, it's so soon, and... it's Valentine's Day. Are people going to want to go to a wedding on Valentine's Day?" Peggy wonders out loud.

Don tells her "Absolutely. What is more romantic than a wedding?" He continues "This would not be just a wedding, it would an event. It would be THE event."

"A celebration of our 'merger'?" Stan comments. He doesn't know quite how to feel about this.

Peggy then says..."The club is beautiful, but so formal. I'm not sure if that's really me."

"Peggy" Don begins "And now please don't take this the wrong way...you are 30 years old. How did you envision yourself doing this? Barefoot, on some mountaintop, with flowers in your hair?" Don asks her.

She laughs. She's not like that at all. "I guess not."

"Please let me do this for you." Don continues. "Listen, I don't have that many people in my life that are special to me.

Stan knows that Peggy is the one who is special to him.

"Consider this a gift from your Uncle Don."

Now both Peggy and Stan start laughing. For one thing, Stan can't imagine him as anybody's uncle.

"Well, what do you say?" Don asks.

"It's so very generous, Don." Says Peggy. "What do you think, Stan?"

"Whatever you want, Peggy." Stan says.

"That's a great answer, Stan." Don offers Stan helpful advice. "Use that one early and often and you can't go wrong" They all laugh a little.

"Well?" Don asks.

Peggy begins "If you really insist, Don, then we accept" She looks over at Stan. Should they discuss this first, then give Don a response?

Stan says "Don, that is the most generous gift I, well I guess we, ever have been offered. We really appreciate this."

"Great" says Don with a smile. "Then call the Columbia Club, and book that date. Tell them your Uncle Don will come by to do whatever is necessary."

Peggy gets up and gives Don a big hug. "Thank you so much, Don. Stan stands up and shakes Don's hand. "We can't thank you enough, Don, really."

Don is happy to be able to do this for them. And to have an opportunity to be able to impress some key people.

Outside of Don's office, Peggy whispers to Stan. "What do you think? Why is he doing this?"

"You know what that was? That was a classic Don Draper pitch. We just got pitched." Stan tells her, with a smile on his face. "Look, I'm ok with it if you are. He obviously wants to do this for you Peggy. But don't delude yourself into thinking this will be a regular wedding. It's going to be an 'event'. You heard him."

Peggy is wondering if this was a mistake.

"Pegs, it's an unbelievable gift." Stan tells her. "Don't get me wrong, Peggy. I'm not ungrateful. Are you ok with it?

"I think I am." Peggy decides.

Stan continues "This will be quite a party, babe."

In his office, Don is pleased with himself. He remembers Peggy's first days at work. That seems like such a long time ago. But it went by quickly. Peggy Olson, now a bride to be. He chuckles to himself picturing her on a mountaintop with flowers in her hair. How much of that had he seen in California?

Then again, although he finds this image unsuitable for Peggy as a bride, it does paint a beautiful picture.


End file.
